Game apparatus.



S. F. BROWN. GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1912.

1,093,764. I Patented Apr.21,191 L I I v 2 SHEER-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Attorney s. 1". BROWN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION II LEJ) NOV. 16, 1912.

Patented A rQ21, 19m

2 SHEET8-SHEET 2.

11V VEN TOR one of said player members, and; Fig. 9

the game. I

SAMUEL F. BROWN, 0F INDIAN ORCHARD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

PatentedApr. 21, 1914.

Application filed November 16, 1912. Serial No. 731,819.

To all 1071 out it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL F. BnowN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indian Orchard, in the county of I-lampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Ap-. paratus, of which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates to a game apparatus, and to such apparatus by which a game somewhat similar to baseball may be played.

Qne object of my invention is to provide novel means to deliver a ball to a bat mem ber.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a ball may be delivered to a bat member at various curves or angles, as is done in the actual playing of baseball.

Still another objectof the invention is to provide player .members which are removably fastened upon posts or the equivalent so that player members of different teams may be substituted-and removably fastened to the post.

A further object of the invention is .to generally improve apparatus of this kind.

Other particular objects of the invention will appear hereinafter from the description following, taken in connection with drawings accompanying this application, wherein Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of part of the device especially illustrating the means for acting against the ball employed to deliver the sameto the bat member; Fig. 4 is a view partly in'section andpartly in elevation illustrating the bat and player member connection with the operating means therefor; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a player member showing its connection to the bat member operating means; Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of player members employed; Fig. 8 is a bottom view ofis a detail View of the ball used in playing;

In the drawings, like reference characters; designate like or corresponding parts throughoutthe various views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 1; designates a board of any suitable shape,g preferably rectangular, around the ,edgeof; which is provided a suitable wall 2. Said-i later appear.

board 1 on its upper surface is laid out or designed in a manner similar to a baseball diamond or field, as is shown in the drawings, the home-plate being specifically designated 3. Beyond the outfield may be provided suitable barrier means in the form of upstanding rods 4. Suitable cavities or pockets 5 are provided at various locations in the upper face of the board, in which a ball 6 actuated as hereinafter described, may lodge.

what difficult for the ball to lodge in these pockets.

Player members are employed which are designated 7 and shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive. Players for different teams may be provided and suitably marked to said recess is arranged eccentric of the center of the player member. Each player member-1s preferably circular in cross section. The function of the recesses and par-' ticular shape of the player members, will The player members with the exception of the player member fastened to the bat member to be described, and the player member operating at the pitchers box, are removably secured in their relative positions about the field or diamond plotted on board. 1, by means of the engagement of the recesses 10 with suitable posts 11 secured to the board.

The player member at the pitchers box is removably fastened by means of its recess 10 on a post 12 provided on a slide rod 13, at right angles thereto, the post. 12 moves in an elongated slot 14 provided in the board 1.

The pockets for three base-hits and home runs are preferably provided beyond the barrier; the barrier rendering it some- A return spring designated 15 is fastened as at 16 to the board'l, and also to the slide member 13 preferably at the junction of the i post 12 thereto. I The rod 13 passes through a suitable guide member 14' and at one end is pivotally connected a bat member operating lever 15-"; To said lever is also-pivotally connected an operating rod 16 which may have ahandle 17thereon'locat8dbeyond the wall'of the board, the rod 16 sliding through suitable opening. 18 in the wall. This'actuating means for the lever 15 and player member, representative of the pitcher, is preferably incased or inclosed as at 18, as seen in Fig. 2. Said lever 15' has provided at right angles thereto, a post 19 which passes through a washer 20, the board 1 and loosely through washers 21, extending considerable distance above the washers 21 and board. To the post 19 is rigidly fastoned a rod 22 which terminates in spring coils 23 which extend around and fasten a bat member 24 thereto.

The ball previously designated 6, is adapted to restin a recess 25 in the board 1, so as to be in operative relation to the player member at the pitchers box, or removably or rotat-ably fastened on post 12. The player member, representative of the batter, is located removably upon the post 19, such 0st extending into the recess 9. At the same time this player member is fastened nonrotatably relatively to the post 19, by the provision of the transversely elongated slot 8, which to perform this function receives the rod 22, as best seen in Fig. 1.

The game is usually played by two persons, each taking nine men fora team.

WVhile a team is supposed to be in the field,

the player members are fastened to the post. When an inning is over, these players are removed and those for the other team substituted. Thisis done at the half of each inning and is similar to the exchanging of places by the players of contesting teams, The player member located on post 12 is of course, representative of the pitcher. To deliver the ba1l,,which has beenpreviously placed in recess 25, the handle 17 is drawn away from the board which slides the rod 13 and accordingly the post 12 and player member thereon. During such movement this player member on post 12, contacts with the ball 6 moving the same out of-recess 25 and starting it in motion toward the bat member. Simultaneously with the actuation of the ball, and through the movement of the parts connected to the handle 17, the lever 15' is shifted, which draws the bat member to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The handle is held in the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, and accordingly the bat is held in dotted line position, until the ball 6 is in proper relation to the bat to be struck thereby; whereupon the handle 17 is released and the spring 15 is free and returns the bat member to its normal position, during which action the bat member strikes the ball, which ball then rolls onto the field and may enter or lodge in the pockets 5. When the ball does not enter any of the pockets, after actuation by the bat member, it is preferably called a strike. The hits and outs are calculated by observing the printing or indications within the recesses the same being calculated as nearly as possible in accordance with the rules of baseball. The score is preferably geciprded by innings, as is also done in base- A very important feature of my invention lies in the fact that ,mcans is provided whereby the ball may he delivered to the bat member, so that the same will curve or approach the same at various angles. This is accomplished through the adjustment of the player member representative of the pitcher, on the post 12. The slot 10 of the player member which the post engages, being eccentric, as stated, will permit this player member to be adjusted so that the ball will be struck or hit by the player member at different locations relative to and at opposite sides of the center thereof.

It is believed that it will be recognized, that I-have provided a game apparatus that will be verv desirable and one which employs simple parts, which may be manufactured and sold at a minimum cost.

As merely the preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, and as changes in the details of construction may suggest themselves, such changes are accordingly reserved.

Having thus described mysaid invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In game apparatus, the combination of a ball, a bat member, a board, a lever, means to shift said lever, a post rising from said lever. a bat member fastened to said post,

a slidablc rod member pivoted to said lever, said rod member having a post, an elongated slot in the board, said post projecting beyond the board, an adjustable ball actuating member on said latter post, and return spring means for said rod member.

2. In game apparatus, the combination of a ball. actuating means for the ball consisting of a post, and an actuating member rotatable on said post, said member having an eccentric recess engaging said post.

3. In game apparatus, the combination of a ball, actuating means for said ball consisting of a post, a cylindrical actuating member for the ball, said member having an eccentric recess to removably engage the post.

4. In game apparatus, the combination of a post, a player member provided with a transversely elongated slot and a recess.

5. In game apparatus, the combination of a bat member, of 'a post member extending at right angles thereto, of a player member supported on said post and bat member provided with a transversely elongated recess to engage said bat member, and a slot to engage said post.

6. In game apparatus, in combination with a post, a player member having an cecentric recess to removably engage the post, 1

said player member also having a transversely elongated slot, and a recess opening into said elongated slot.

7 A ame apparatus, in combination with a all, including a board provided with a plurality of pockets adapted for the reception of said ball, said board having an elongated slot formed therein approximately midway its ends and a ball recess adjacent said slot, a rod arranged subjacent said board and having connection therewith, the one end of said rod being turned at right angles to the body thereofand into said slot, a handle engaged with the opposite end of said rod for operating said angle end in said slot, and a player member arranged on said angle end, said member be ing provided with a slot,'and a recess adjacent said slot for the purpose set forth.

8. A game apparatus in combination with a ball, including a board, provided with a plurality of pockets, a multiplicity of posts arranged at intervals on said board, a player member adapted for detachable engagement with each of said posts, said board provided ,25

with an elongated slot formed midway its ends, a rod slidalbly arranged subjacent said board, the, one end thereof being turned at right angles to the body thereof through said slot, an elastic element, the one end of which is in engagement with the bottom face of said board and the opposite end thereof in engagement with said rod, a handle for actuating said rod, a player member carried by the rlght angle end of said rod adapted to operate saidball when said handle is operated, and a bat member movably mounted on said board and associated with said rod for the purpose set forth.

SAMUEL F. BROWN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J .BEANY,

CLYDE R. HILL. 

